Address information obtaining method and apparatus

Abstract

Address information obtaining methods and apparatuses are described. It is determined that a network element that supports a type of a first NF and that is in a first network slice needs to be accessed. The type of the first NF and information about the first network slice is sent to a network repository network element to obtain address information of the network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice. Address information of a first network element is received from the network repository network element. The first network element is the network element that supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice. A terminal can obtain the address information of the network element that supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An address information obtaining method, comprising:
 determining that a first network element that supports a type of a first network function (NF) and is in a first network slice needs to be accessed; 
 sending a type of a network repository function (NRF) corresponding to the first NF to a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server; 
 receiving address information of a network repository network element from the DHCP server; 
 sending to the network repository network element and based on the address information of the network repository network element, the type of the first NF and information about the first network slice to obtain address information of the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice; and 
 receiving from the network repository network element, the address information of the first network element, wherein the first network element supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information about the first network slice comprises network slice selection assistance information of the first network slice. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating a registration procedure based on the address information of the first network element. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sending the type of the NRF to the DHCP server comprises:
 sending the type of the NRF and the information about the first network slice to the DHCP server to obtain the first network element that supports the type of the NRF and that is in the first network slice. 
 
     
     
       5. An address information obtaining method, comprising:
 receiving, by a network repository network element from a first terminal utilizing address information obtained from a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server, a type of a first network function (NF) and information about a first network slice; 
 determining, by the network repository network element, that the first terminal is allowed to access a first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice; 
 obtaining, by the network repository network element, address information of the first network element, wherein the first network element supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice; and 
 sending, by the network repository network element to the first terminal, the address information of the first network element. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the determining, by the network repository network element, that the first terminal is allowed to access the first network element comprises:
 sending, by the network repository network element, an identifier of the first terminal and a subscription data type to a data management network element to obtain subscription data corresponding to the subscription data type of the first terminal; 
 receiving, by the network repository network element, the subscription data of the first terminal from the data management network element, wherein the subscription data comprises information about a network slice that is accessible by the first terminal and a type of an NF that is accessible by the first terminal and that is in the network slice; and 
 if the information about the network slice that is accessible by the first terminal comprises the information about the first network slice, and the type of the NF that is accessible by the first terminal and that is in the network slice comprises the type of the first NF, determining, by the network repository network element that the first terminal is allowed to access the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the determining, by the network repository network element, that the first terminal is allowed to access the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice comprises:
 determining, by the network repository network element, based on preset policy information that the first NF in the first network slice is allowed to be accessed by the first terminal. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the information about the first network slice comprises network slice selection assistance information of the first network slice. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the network repository network element, a registration request message from the first network element, wherein the registration request message comprises the type of the first NF, the information about the first network slice, the address information of the first network element, and access configuration information of the first network element, and wherein the access configuration information indicates whether the first network element is allowed to be accessed by the first terminal; and 
 storing, by the network repository network element, the type of the first NF, the information about the first network slice, the address information of the first network element, and the access configuration information of the first network element. 
 
     
     
       10. An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 determine that a first network element that supports a type of a first network function (NF) and is in a first network slice needs to be accessed; 
 send a type of a network repository function (NRF) corresponding to the first NF to a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server; 
 receive address information of a network repository network element from the DHCP server; 
 send, based on the address information of the network repository network element, the type of the first NF and information about the first network slice to the network repository network element to obtain address information of the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice; and 
 receive address information of the first network element from the network repository network element, wherein the first network element supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the information about the first network slice comprises network slice selection assistance information of the first network slice. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to initiate a registration procedure based on the address information of the first network element. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to send the type of the NRF and the information about the first network slice to the DHCP server to obtain the first network element that supports the type of the NRF and that is in the first network slice. 
     
     
       14. A communications system comprising:
 a network repository network element; and 
 a terminal comprising a first processor configured to:
 determine that a first network element that supports a type of a first network function (NF) and is in a first network slice needs to be accessed, 
 send a type of a network repository function (NRF) corresponding to the first NF to a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server, 
 receive address information of the network repository network element from the DHCP server, 
 send to the network repository network element, the type of the first NF and information about the first network slice to obtain address information of the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice, and 
 receive from the network repository network element, the address information of the first network element, wherein the first network element supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice, 
 wherein the network repository network element comprises a second processor configured to:
 receive, from the terminal, the type of the first NF and information about the first network slice, 
 determine that the terminal is allowed to access the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice, 
 obtain the address information of the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and is in the first network slice, and 
 send the address information of the first network element to the terminal. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The communications system according to  claim 14 , wherein the information about the first network slice comprises network slice selection assistance information of the first network slice, and wherein the first processor is further configured to:
 initiate a registration procedure based on the address information of the first network element. 
 
     
     
       16. The communications system according to  claim 14 , wherein the second processor is further configured to:
 send an identifier of the terminal and a subscription data type to a data management network element to obtain subscription data corresponding to the subscription data type of the terminal; 
 receive the subscription data of the terminal from the data management network element, wherein the subscription data comprises information about a network slice that is accessible by the terminal and a type of an NF that is accessible by the terminal and that is in the network slice; and 
 if the information about the network slice that is accessible by the terminal comprises the information about the first network slice, and the type of the NF that is accessible by the terminal and that is in the network slice comprises the type of the first NF, determine that the terminal is allowed to access the first network element that supports the type of the first NF and that is in the first network slice. 
 
     
     
       17. The communications system according to  claim 14 , wherein the second processor is further configured to:
 receive a registration request message from the first network element, wherein the registration request message comprises the type of the first NF, the information about the first network slice, the address information of the first network element, and access configuration information of the first network element, and wherein the access configuration information indicates whether the first network element is allowed to be accessed by the terminal; and 
 store the type of the first NF, the information about the first network slice, the address information of the first network element, and the access configuration information of the first network element.